System for remotely controlling a machine

• US 9,340,214 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Funke, Brian G., Stanek, Daniel, Becicka, Troy K., Redenbo, Seth J., Friend, Paul, Dunn, Daniel K., Stratton, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Troost, Aaron L
• Application Number:
  US14/252,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20150291180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/046 involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle, e.g. via telemetry, satellite, Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/045 Monitoring control system parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00

Abstract

A system for remotely controlling a machine includes a remote input device, a transmitter remote from the machine, and a receiver at the machine. A controller is configured to store a desired communications threshold, receive input commands from the remote input device, generate a plurality of remote control input signals based upon the input commands, and transmit the plurality of remote control input signals at a location remote from the machine. The controller is further configured to receive at least some of the plurality of remote control input signals at the machine, determine a communications parameter based upon at least one of the plurality of remote control input signals, compare the communications parameter to the desired communications threshold, and generate a command to stop the machine if the communications parameter is outside the desired communications threshold.

Claims

1. A system for remotely controlling a machine comprising:

a remote input device located remote from the machine for generating input commands;

a transmitter remote from the machine for transmitting a plurality of remote control input signals;

a receiver at the machine for receiving the plurality of remote control input signals; and

a controller configured to;

store a desired percentage of signals received threshold, the percentage of signals received threshold being less than 100 percent;

receive the input commands from the remote input device;

generate the plurality of remote control input signals based upon the input commands;

transmit the plurality of remote control input signals at a location remote from the machine;

receive the plurality of remote control input signals at the machine;

determine a percentage of signals received based upon the plurality of remote control input signals;

compare the percentage of signals received to the desired percentage of signals received threshold; and

generate a command to stop the machine when the percentage of signals received is less than the desired percentage of signals received threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to store a second desired communications threshold, determine a second communications parameter based upon at least two of the plurality of remote control input signals, compare the second communications parameter to the second desired communications threshold, and generate a command to stop the machine when the second communications parameter exceeds the second desired communications threshold.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller further includes an error detection system configured to detect errors in the plurality of remote control input signals.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a first remote control input signal and a second remote control input signal, the second remote control input signal being received after receipt of the first remote control input signal, and the controller determines a communications parameter by determining a first time at which the first remote control input signal is received by the receiver and a second time at which the second remote control input signal is received by the receiver, and determines whether a difference between the first time and the second time exceeds a predetermined period of time.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines a communications parameter by determining a number of the plurality of remote control input signals received within a plurality of predetermined periods of time.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a minor communications parameter based upon a first remote control input signal and a second remote control input signal, the second remote control input signal being received by a receiver on the machine after receipt of the first remote control input signal;

compare the minor communications parameter to a desired minor communications threshold; and

discard the second remote control input signal when the minor communications parameter is outside of the desired minor communications threshold.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each of the first remote control input signal and the second remote control input signal includes a signal index and the controller determines the minor communications parameter by determining whether the signal index of the first remote control input signal is less than the signal index of the second remote control input signal.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein each of the first remote control input signal and the second remote control input signal includes a signal index and the controller determines the minor communications parameter by determining whether the signal index of the first remote control input signal is within a predetermined range of the signal index of the second remote control input signal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote input device is a remote control console and the input commands are based upon manual movement of the remote input device at the remote control console by an operator.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to store a desired latency threshold, determine a transmit time at which one of the plurality of remote control input signals was sent by the transmitter, determine a receipt time at which the one of the plurality of remote control input signals was received by the receiver, determine a latency of the one of the plurality of remote control input signals based upon a difference between the transmit time and the receipt time, compare the latency to the desired latency threshold, and generate a command to stop the machine when the latency is greater than the desired latency threshold.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller includes a machine controller on the machine and the machine controller is configured to store the desired latency threshold therein and receive the one of the plurality of remote control input signals.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the machine controller is further configured to determine the latency of the one of the plurality of remote control input signals based upon a time stamp indicative of when the remote control input signal was generated.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the remote control input signals include a signal index and the machine controller is further configured to determine the latency of the one of the plurality of remote control input signals based upon its signal index.

14. A method of remotely controlling a machine comprising:

storing a desired percentage of signals received threshold;

receiving input commands from a remote input device located remote from the machine;

generating a plurality of remote control input signals based upon the input commands;

transmitting the plurality of remote control input signals at a location remote from the machine;

receiving the plurality of remote control input signals at the machine;

determining a percentage of signals received based upon the plurality of remote control input signals;

comparing the percentage of signals received to the desired percentage of signals received threshold; and

generating a command to stop the machine when the percentage of signals received is less than the desired percentage of signals received threshold.

15. The method of claim 14, further including storing a second desired communications threshold, determining a second communications parameter based upon at least two of the plurality of remote control input signals, comparing the second communications parameter to the second desired communications threshold, and generating a command to stop the machine when the second communications parameter exceeds the second desired communications threshold.

16. The method of claim 14, further including receiving a first remote control input signal and a second remote control input signal, the second remote control input signal being received after receipt of the first remote control input signal, and determining the communications parameter by determining a first time at which the first remote control input signal is received by a receiver on the machine and a second time at which the second remote control input signal is received by the receiver, and determining whether a difference between the first time and the second time exceeds a predetermined period of time.

17. The method of claim 14, further including determining a communications parameter by determining a number of the plurality of remote control input signals received within plurality of predetermined periods of time.

18. The method of claim 14, further including:

determining a minor communications parameter based upon a first remote control input signal and a second remote control input signal, the second remote control input signal being received by a receiver on the machine after receipt of the first remote control input signal;

comparing the minor communications parameter to a desired minor communications threshold; and

discarding the second remote control input signal when the minor communications parameter is outside of the desired minor communications threshold.

19. The method of claim 14, further including detecting errors in the plurality of remote control input signals.

20. A system for controlling movement of a machine within a work site, comprising:

a drive system for causing movement of the machine;

a position sensor associated with the machine for generating position signals indicative of a position of the machine;

a remote input device located remote from the machine for generating input commands;

a transmitter remote from the machine for transmitting a plurality of remote control input signals;

a receiver at the machine for receiving the plurality of remote control input signals; and

a controller configured to;

store a desired percentage of signals received threshold, the percentage of signals received threshold being less than 100 percent;

receive the input commands from the remote input device;

generate the plurality of remote control input signals based upon the input commands;

transmit the plurality of remote control input signals at a location remote from the machine;

receive the plurality of remote control input signals at the machine;

determine a percentage of signals received based upon the plurality of remote control input signals;

compare the percentage of signals received to the desired percentage of signals received threshold; and

generate a command to stop the machine when the percentage of signals received is less than the desired percentage of signals received threshold.